Bows

Traditional and barebow archery provide ultimate challenges, but their added reward is extreme fun. Traditional bows are a stripped-down archery form that’s simple, elegant and romantic.

These bows take you back to the sport’s roots, when all you needed was a bow and a full quiver. The challenge of shooting bull’s-eyes with them is extremely rewarding. They’re simple bows, but capable of incredible accuracy. You’ll find endless bow styles, but traditional archery’s three main categories are longbow, recurve and barebow.

A recurve bow’s swept tips curve away from the archer, and it shoots arrows at faster speeds than what straight-limbed longbows can deliver. The longbow lacks the recurve’s curved tips, but it’s steeped in history and bends gracefully in classic design when strung.

A typical barebow resembles an Olympic recurve, but without sights, stabilizers or other accuracy-enhancing gear. The barebow division is growing in competitive archery because it draws people to the bow’s challenge and simplicity.